In the current pandemic, many of us work remotely and juggle multiple roles. In this environment it can be challenging to keeping track of all the projects, tasks, meetings, and commitments we have on our plate. Many of us use to-do lists, stacks of post-its, calendars, or the backs of loose paper to manage projects. While these methods are a good first step, they have limitations. A way to improve managing projects is having the ability to visualize and move projects around on your to do list. This can be done with sticky notes and a white board or with a number of digital tools such as Trello.
To get started just put one project per note on a board until all your projects are captured. The next thing is to organize your notes horizontally according to which projects need to be done Now and which ones can be done in the Future. After that is done divided your notes again vertically by priority: A, B, C, etc. The goal is to end up with only a few notes in the Now section with an A-priority. Once projects have been organized, it is easier to have discussions with co-workers, supervisors, and others regarding priorities.
Another popular way to visualize and organize work is with a personal Kanban system. This is where projects are divided into only 3 groups: To Do, Doing, and Done. Using your same project notes, you can put all your projects into the To Do column. Then decide which ones you are going to work on right now and put them in the Doing column. Again, the key is to limit this section to 2 or 3 things that are of highest priority or that need immediate attention. Once a project is complete, move it to Done column.
Having a system like those described above, helps you have confidence that everything is being accounted for and the most important projects have been prioritized. This week, give one of the above methods a try to see if visual prioritization makes a difference for you.
For more information, read this article on creating a personal Kanban system.
HRD workshops that support this topic: Getting Things Done, 5 Choices, Project Management Essentials